Eve
by RoseTyler10
Summary: Her friends. Her family. Her life. All destroyed, and she blames herself. So she had to run away, as far as possible, but never away from the fear of prosecution. Then, when she meets the prince of a kingdom where her kind aren't only prosecuted, but excuted, and falls in love with him, she becomes scared to death. OC and slightly AU.
1. The Begining

**Author's Note:**

** Hey guys! So this isn't my first ever fanfiction, but it's the first one I'm posting. It's set somewhere between the first and second seasons of the show, before Arthur starts falling for Guinevere and all that jazz. So, I hope you enjoy it! I'll try and stay consistent with my adding of chapters (every Sunday) and please feel free to follow it or favorite it…:P**

** And now, I present the first chapter of Eve:**

_Smoke._

_ She could smell it before she could see it._

_ At first she wasn't alarmed at all, the scent was familiar. It was probably someone cooking in preparation for the harvest festival set to take place in a week's time. She felt slightly uncomfortable for some reason, as if the scent was unnatural or bad in some way, but she brushed the feeling off and continued gathering the flowering herbs her mother had told her to fetch. It was her favorite chore because it allowed her to get out of the village, into the forest, and just be by herself so she could breathe._

_ So she could practice._

_ As she thought of practicing, the strange feeling came back with a vengeance, feeling like an irritating itch that she couldn't scratch. _

_ And then she realized what the smell was: burning hay. It was so familiar because she had grown up smelling it at the end of every harvest; it was her favorite time of year, the Great Bonfire to celebrate another year of crops. But, they never burned hay any other time of the year, and this was a stronger scent than what she was used to, as if more than ever was being burned._

_ And then she heard screams._

_ She dropped the basket of herbs and broke into a sprint in the direction of the village, praying that the idea forming in her head was wrong. The closer she got to the edge of the forest, the stronger the smell was and the louder the screams were._

_ Reaching the forest's edge, she broke through the trees and-_

"No!"

She shot right up, jolted by the vividness of the dream.

Of the memory.

Taking in sharp, shallow breaths, she tried to remember where she was. She wasn't in her bed, or in her room, or even in a house. Shadows danced around her in the blackness of the night, frightening her senseless. Where was her sister? Her mother? Her-

_Oh_.

Suddenly the surrounding area wasn't a mystery; she remembered stumbling upon this small grove sometime earlier in the night. She'd been running all day and she hadn't been able to take another step. It was either sleep or pass out involuntarily. This grove, with its large oak trees encircling the soft bed of grass, at least offered protection and a small amount of comfort she was unlikely to find anywhere else for the next couple of miles. So, she found a shadowy area under the biggest tree and fell into a restless sleep.

After assuring herself that she was safe-at least for now-she settled back down and stared up at the stars until the first fingers of dawn stretched across the sky, unable to shut her eyes again.

_**(Camelot)**_

"Left. Right. Down. Left."

Each word was punctuated with a hard blow from a dull sword.

"Up. Right. Left. Come on, Merlin, aren't you ever going to get any better?" jeered the blond young man.

Desperately trying to block each attack, the skinny, black-haired young man was unable to answer until he was knocked to the ground. Again.

Pulling up his helmet, Merlin glared at his sparring partner and said, "I wasn't raised being taught how to kill people, Arthur, and losing to you is hardly a way to learn."

They were outside the city walls, away from all the distractions of everyday life. Out here, near the forest and completely alone, they trained. Well, really it was more one training and the other being beaten to a pulp, but both preferred to say "training".

Prince Arthur laughed and offered his hand to his friend, saying, "I'm not asking you to try to beat me or even parry a blow; I just want you to at least block one."

Merlin tried, in vain, to keep glaring at Arthur, but it was impossible to stay angry at his best friend, no matter how arrogant he might be. It was a wonder that they were such close friends, considering how extraordinarily different they were.

Arthur, son of King Uther, was the Crowned Prince of Camelot, while Merlin was his servant and assistant to the court physician, Gaius. Arthur was arrogant, prideful, and pampered, but was also extremely intelligent, merciful, and put the needs of his people before his. Merlin was clumsy, disobedient, and always acted before thinking about the consequences, but he was brave, caring, and selfless. Even their physical appearances were as different as night and day, for while Arthur was extremely handsome with his strong arms, broad shoulders, dark blond hair, and blue eyes, Merlin was more boyish with a very skinny physique, high cheekbones, black hair, and blue eyes. And even though there were times Arthur swore he would sack Merlin, or Merlin wanted to strangle Arthur, they were best friends and needed each other for balance.

So, Merlin accepted Arthur's hand and stood up, wincing. He was sure he had many bruises and was aching in places he didn't know could ache. Gaius was going to have to give him some sort of draught so that he'll be able to sleep tonight. As such, he pleaded with Arthur to be done training for the day. Arthur gave in, and with a wicked smile, started listing all the chores Merlin needed to complete before the end of the day.

They turned to walk back to the castle when they heard twigs snapping and the rustling of leaves in the forest. Arthur spun around in time to see her stumbling out of the tress, looking back over her shoulder as if to see if someone were following her. She appeared to be limping, her garments were ripped to shreds, she had scratches all over her body and a wild, terrified look on her face.

Merlin and Arthur were paralyzed with shock, standing ten yards away from the terrified woman.

When she turned face-front and saw them, she let out something like a sigh of relief and started moving towards them with all the power she could muster, which apparently, Arthur noticed, was not much. Realizing this, he rushed over to her and upon reaching her, grabbed her arms.

"Who are you? What happened?" he asked urgently.

She looked at him with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They were the color of the clouds during a raging storm, and had a thin circle of dark yellow around the irises. He couldn't make out much else of what she looked like because she was covered in several layers of grime, and there were twigs and leaves matted throughout her hair.

She was crying and trying to catch her breath as she looked up at him, and gathering all the strength she could, whispered, "Help…me…"

Then she collapsed against him.

"Merlin, run and fetch Gaius and some guards and meet me at the castle gates."

Leaving all the training equipment behind, Merlin broke into a sprint towards the city while Arthur picked the woman up into his arms and started running as fast as he could.


	2. The Girl

**Author's Note:**

** gingerduchirules you are SO sweet! Thank you for your kind review, and for being my first!**

**Ok, I am SUPER sorry for my totally late review; my internet won't work on my pc, so I've had to find extraneous solutions (aka, sneaking on to various family members' computers when they aren't home). Being as such, I don't think I'll be able to keep a regular update day. Sorry.:/**

**So, I want you guys to know that I'm not an alchemist, all the herbs and their "properties" are made up. Except, you know, the obviously real ones, but I don't actually know what they're used for. So don't hate on my unknowingness if you see that something with the herbs is wrong; I claim creative freedom so HA!**

**Oh, and I'm not very consistent with chapter lengths. And bear with me, you learn her name at the end of the chapter, she won't forever be known as "the girl", I promise.;)**

**And now, after this extremely long author's note, chapter two of ****Eve****:**

_Smoke._

_There was something unusual, something unnatural about it._

_But it was burning hay, what was wrong with that? The village had a huge bonfire at the end of every harvest festival; it was her favorite time of the year. Everyone feasted, sang, and danced in celebration. Whether the crops had been plentiful or not, it was really just a celebration of life._

_Another year of living._

_Suddenly, the once peaceful forest was alive with the most horrific sound she had ever heard: human screams._

_Dropping the basket, she sprinted back towards the village, hoping the idea forming in her head was wrong. At last, the curtain of leaves thinned out, and she was out of the woods._

_And into a nightmare._

_It was as if she'd been punched in the stomach. Hard. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think; there was so much smoke. Sheer terror froze her lungs and stopped her heart._

_Fire. Everything was on fire._

_And there were unfamiliar men riding horses up and down the rows of houses. What were they doing?_

_Wait-_

"No!"

She screamed and shot straight up, covering her eyes and trying to erase the images that seemed engraved in her mind.

Strong hands placed themselves on her shoulders, and she tried fighting them, screaming as loud as she could.

"Calm down, child, you're safe. Shh, you are safe here."

The voice was calm, firm, and deep. She uncovered her eyes and found herself staring at the kindest face she had ever seen. He was old, and his eyes, though caring, were weary; this man had seen many tragedies.

She was still scared from the dream and he throat was incredibly dry, so she found herself unable to speak.

"My name is Gaius, and I promise that in my care, you are safe. Now, may I ask your name?"

As he was talking, he poured a goblet of water and held it out to her. She stared at it, wondering if it was poisoned. How did she know she could trust this man? She didn't even know how she came to _be _in his care to begin with.

_Although_, she thought, _if he had wanted to hurt me, he would have done so already._

Still, she felt wary about accepting drinks from strangers, especially after everything that had happened to her, but then he said _the words_. What he said, however strange it might seem to onlookers, made her put her absolute trust and faith in this man for as long as she knew him.

"If I wanted to harm you, I would have done so already."

With those words in mind, she accepted the goblet and took a tentative sip. The water was cool and sweet, and before she knew it, the cup was empty. He took it from her and waited patiently for her to answer him.

Taking a deep breath and looking him straight in the eye, she said in the strongest voice she could, "Thank you."

She wasn't planning on giving her name, not until she knew whether or not she was completely safe. Realizing this, Gaius simply nodded his head, refilled her water, and continued talking.

"I am the court physician. You were brought to me mid-day yesterday and I have managed to clean your scratches and bandage your right leg, which is broken. Once you've eaten a little, I will send for a servant girl to help clean and dress you. Ah, here's Merlin now with your breakfast."

She turned to see a pale, skinny boy with black hair and blue eyes enter with a bowl in his hands.

Now that she had a proper look at the room, she realized just how weird a room it was. For starters, it was absolutely huge, and could probably fit her entire house inside of it. There were many tables covered in odd glass containers filled with unusually colored liquids that were bubbling and smoking.

_Smoke…_

Shaking that thought out of her head, she continued her examination of the room. There were bookshelves on every wall as high as the ceiling and stuffed with books that looked hundreds of years old. Some of them looked like they hadn't been _opened _in hundreds of years. To her right, a small stairway led to a separate room she couldn't see in to and there was only one window in the entire room.

Her attention was brought back to the boy as she heard a loud clattering sound. Apparently, he had bumped into a table and knocked some of the containers over.

"Honestly, Merlin! It's a wonder you can even walk straight," Gaius remarked, rushing over to take the bowl from Merlin and instructing him to clean the mess up. "And when you're finished, go fetch Gwen so she can help my patient here dress."

Merlin picked everything up, with impressive speed, but before leaving, however, he turned back and looked directly into her eyes.

It was as if there was some force pulling them together, a memory somehow linking the two. There was a strong feeling in her gut that this boy, this young man, was important to her, more important than anybody she'd ever known. It wasn't a romantic feeling; he felt familiar, as if she already knew who he was and vice versa.

_Who are you? _she asked in her mind.

It was a silent question, but it seemed to confirm whatever he was thinking, for as soon as she thought it, he nodded and ran out of the room.

_Strange…_

"Here you are, my dear. It's not the most appetizing food we have, but this mix of herbs will help ease your mind and help further along your body's natural healing process."

She took the bowl from him, looked at the brown colored mush, and sniffed it. He thought this was a sign that she was still wary of him, and sought to comfort her.

"I told you, if I wanted to harm you, I-"

"Lavender, bay leaf, and nimwheat," she interrupted.

Gaius stopped short, his eyes widening in amazement.

"What did you say?"

She looked into his eyes, and in a stronger voice, said, "Lavender, bay leaf, and nimwheat; lavender for comfort, bay leaf for healing, and nimwheat for peace of mind and restful sleep. However, I do not wish to sleep, but if you add some banesroot, it will offset the sleeping properties and strengthen the 'piece of mind' quality."

Staring at her with utter shock, Gaius took a few seconds before finally asking, "How do you know all this?"

She didn't answer him, only held out her bowl expectantly. Realizing, again, that he wasn't going to receive an answer, Gaius took the bowl from her and went to a table and started cutting banesroot.

He was just giving her mush again when a pretty, dark skinned young woman entered the room. Her dark brown, wiry hair was pulled back from her face and her eyes were the color of warm honey.

"Ah, Gwen, this is, um…" Gaius looked at the strange girl, not knowing what to call her.

"I am his patient. You were sent to help me clean and dress, but your services are not needed, so you may go."

Gwen and Gaius stared at the girl as she started eating the horrible-tasting mush with vigor.

"My child, you don't expect to draw your bath, clean, brush your hair, and dress all by yourself, do you? Besides the fact that your injuries make all that almost impossible, you don't have any clothes to change in to," Gaius told her in a calm voice.

"I have been able to care for myself for years; I assure you I can manage, although you do bring up a point. Gwen, was it? If you tell me where I might find a dress to put on, I will gladly fetch it myself. Otherwise, I'm sure you have other duties you need to see to."

"My Lady, my only duty at the moment is to help care for you," Gwen said patiently with a bow of her head.

Looking away, the girl replied, "I am not a Lady, and don't ever confuse me with one."

She then turned back to Gwen and in a low voice added, "And I do not ask for help."

"I understand, ma'am, but you aren't asking for my services, I'm offering them. And with all due respect, Gaius is right: you can't do everything with those injuries. Let me help you this once, and if I do not satisfy you, then you may pursue the course which makes you more comfortable."

Gwen was good with words, the girl realized. What she said made sense, and it didn't make her feel like she was begging for Gwen's assistance, which made her slightly more willing.

Giving Gwen a quick glance over, she nodded. "Fine."

As she finished her mush, Gwen took charge filling a huge wooden tub at the back of the room with steaming water. It took some time, as she had to keep running out of the room to fetch more water to heat up. By the time she was done, the girl had finished her mush and was waiting calmly with a frown on her face. Her eyes, Gwen noticed, were like storm clouds with yellow circles around the irises. They were beautiful, more so than the Lady Morgana's, which was saying something.

When the tub was full, Gwen offered her shoulder to the girl. She just stared at Gwen, unsure of what to do.

"Put your arm around my shoulder and lean on me to help you walk."

Gritting her teeth, annoyed that she was so vulnerable, the girl did as Gwen commanded and together they walked over to the tub. As Gwen started trying to remove the girl's torn dress, the girl looked over at Gaius with narrowed eyes.

"If I leave, would that make you happy?"

She didn't say anything, or give any hint of agreement, but he knew that was what she wanted, so he left, leaving the two girls alone.

Gwen removed the girl's dress and helped her into the tub. She sighed at the feeling of the hot water rushing over her body, a sensation she had never felt before. Back home, the only way to wash was to swim in the mountain fed creek that was a mile away. Since it was mainly made up of melted snow, it was always freezing.

Gwen used a rough rag to start scraping away all the layers of dirt and blood that had found home on the girl's skin.

"So, may I ask you what your name is?"

"You may ask, but I will not answer," the girl spoke in a monotone voice.

"Why is that?"

"Giving one's name is a sign of trust. I do not know you, Gaius, Merlin, or even where I am. I do not know how I came to be here, what will be done with me, or where I am to go from her. I will not give my name until I know it is safe to do so."

Gwen was silent for a while as she finished cleaning the girl and moved on to her hair. Gwen tried to be as gentle as she could, but the girl had twigs, leaves, and dirt tangled in it and she had to make sure everything was out. It didn't seem to bother the girl though; she didn't wince in pain like Lady Morgana did. The girl did, however, never relax. It was as if her muscles were permanently tensed up, like she was ready to fight or flee at any time. And she hardly blinked.

Once Gwen was sure everything was out of the girl's hair, she started brushing it and said, "I can answer some of your questions, if you'd like."

The girl didn't say anything for a few moments, but finally, she spoke. "Where am I?"

Relieved for some sort of communication, Gwen answered, "Camelot, ruled by King Uther Pendraon."

Those names were meaningless to the girl, but Gwen said them as if she should know and praise them. The girl had grown up in the small village, but she knew of every city in her kingdom. This meant that she wasn't in her kingdom.

So…she was safe?

"Would you like me to braid you hair?" Gwen asked after she was finished brushing the girl's hair.

"No. I leave it down."

"Alright, well I have dressing gowns for you."

It was a slightly awkward and painfully embarrassing experience, trying to get the girl's dress on. She hated asking for help because that made her feel like she owed the person afterwards, and by the time she got the dark blue gown on, she felt like she would forever be indebted to Gwen.

"You look beautiful, ma'am," Gwen said softly, gazing at the gorgeous girl in front of her.

_Woman_, she corrected herself, for now she was clean and dressed, Gwen realized that they were about the same age.

"Thank you, Gwen. You may go and tell Gaius that I am done," the young woman said, now limping her way towards a chair. When Gwen tried to help her, she brushed aside Gwen's shoulder and completed the journey by herself.

"As you wish." Gwen bowed and then exited.

She barely had time to think when three more people entered the room.

Gaius and Merlin were followed by an extremely handsome young man with dark blond hair and blue eyes. He was tall, his shoulders were broad, and his face seemed sculpted to mimic that of an angel's.

She felt disgusted with herself for suddenly feeling attracted to him.

When he saw her, he was in complete and utter shock. Were they sure she was the same girl he had seen come out of the forest? Surely this stunning young woman was an angel, not some helpless, lost child.

Her skin was as pale as moonlight, yet her hair was blacker than night; it shined so as to look like stars were woven into it and fell in ever so light waves down to her waist. She had small, red lips and a smooth jaw, slightly raised as a sign of defiance and superiority. She was thin, and though she was sitting, he could tell from the length of her legs that she was tall. Her beautiful grey eyes were sheltered under thick lashes, and they were accented by high, arched eyebrows.

It was as if she were and exotic creature, sitting before him in a deep blue dress that he was sure belonged to Morgana, but it would never compliment the Lady as it did this woman.

"Ah, you look absolutely beautiful," Gaius told her.

She didn't thank him, smile, or even acknowledge he was there. She simply stared at Arthur.

"Um, may I present Prince Arthur to you," Gaius introduced, noticing the intensity in her eyes.

Again it was as if Gaius had not spoken. Her eyes were glued to Arthur.

He started feeling uncomfortable, like she was staring at him as if he were inferior.

And he hated that.

So, he bowed and said, "I hope you are alright and have found some small comfort here. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, you can tell me how I got here."

The seriousness of her tone was like a slap in the face. He looked at her incredulously, not sure whether or not to feel offended that she didn't remember him or that she didn't find him as enchanting as he found her.

"You stumbled out of the forest outside the city walls yesterday. Arthur brought you here to Gaius," Merlin answered when he realized that Arthur was probably in shock.

"I didn't ask _you_," she spit at him.

"Hey, you do not have the right to speak to him like that. Who do you think you are?" Arthur snapped at her.

"I think I'm someone who has spent a week running and living in the forest. I think I'm someone who has no clue where she is other than some place called 'Camelot' ruled by some man named 'Uther', whom one could only guess is your father. Other than that small detail, I have no idea who any of you are, and no offense _your highness_, but your title means nothing to me. You want to know who I am? My friends call me Eve, and before you go and flatter yourself, you aren't one of my friends so you _will _not address me as such. My name is Evangeline. Evangeline Emrys. Now, are you satisfied?"


	3. The Dragon

**Author's Note:**

**Because I have deprived you of an update for so long, I'm giving you two chapters at once. It's a short one, but it's chapter three of ****Eve****:**

_Emrys…her name was Evangeline Emrys…_

That name didn't mean anything to anyone but Merlin.

Flashbacks of Mordred, the little druid boy, started playing in his mind, distracting him from the scene right before his eyes. As Merlin was lost in his thoughts, Arthur and Evangeline continued arguing.

"You cannot talk to me like that, I am the Prince!"

"You are _a _prince not _the _prince, as I am not from this kingdom and therefore do not acknowledge you as my ruler."

"I could have you hanged for such disrespect, you know that don't you? Arthur asked in a dangerously low voice.

"I invite you to try," Evangeline retorted, matching his tone.

"Alright, say I was your king; would you still address me in this manner?

"Say I was one of your injured subjects, would you still address _me _in this manner?" she replied without missing a beat.

He opened his mouth to respond, then blinked and looked at her with anger flashing in his eyes. He felt like he had been defeated somehow because she played on his one weakness: his love for his people. If she were one of his people, he would never have yelled at her or argued the way he was. Instead, he would have made sure she was alright and tried to figure out what happened to her.

There was just something about this Evangeline Emrys that flat out irritated him and made him want to stay angry with her.

Was it because she acted so superior to him? Or because she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, but she obviously felt no affection for him?

"Arthur, I'm sure your father will want to speak with Evangeline," Gaius said, stepping between the two and giving Arthur a pointed look.

Gaius had known Arthur since the day he was born, and had been working for Uther since before that. Because of this, his opinions and suggestions were respected and often sought after by the royal family. So with this statement, Arthur took the hint and took a deep breath.

"Of course, Gaius, I will go fetch him."

He turned to leave, but Evangeline's voice stopped him.

"Why? Just arrange for me an audience with the king."

Arthur thought he had heard wrong and asked her to repeat herself.

"Is that not the custom? One seeks an audience with the king?"

"My dear," Gaius said before Arthur could even open his mouth, "You can barely walk. Unless you want us to carry you to the council room, the king will have to come to you."

Evangeline pursed her lips and closed her eyes. At that moment, Merlin was brought back to the present from his thoughts because he heard a strange ringing in his ears. It was soft, but very high pitched, and he knew what it meant.

Then, with seemingly no effort, Evangeline stood from the chair and looked at them with a smug expression; she was balanced perfectly on one leg. She then proceeded to walk to the other side of the room: she was barely limping, to the point where the limp was almost completely unnoticeable.

Turning to the men and smiling, she said in a calm voice, "I think, gentlemen, you will find that I am full of many surprises.

Arthur and Gaius were absolutely amazed. Merlin, however, knew exactly what was going on, or at least what one of her "surprises" was.

He needed confirmation though.

He needed to speak with the Dragon.

Slowly backing out of the room while Arthur and Gaius attacked Evangeline with questions (which she was ignoring), Merlin made the trek to the deepest part of the castle. Once there, he distracted the guards that sat in front of the cave entrance by magically knocking over a table that stood on the adjacent hallway. They ran off to investigate the noise and Merlin slipped through the gate and, grabbing the torch on the wall, ran down the stairs into the dark, damp cave.

"Dragon!" he called as he entered the enormous cavern.

He heard the Dragon before he saw him, as the sound of his wings beating echoed off the walls. Then, a magnificent beast landed on a pile on rocks before Merlin, with bronze colored scales and fire-blazoned eyes.

It spoke in a smooth voice with sarcasm ringing through it like a bell. "Ah, Merlin. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"I know you felt it: magic. It was strong and I know you felt it. Listen, there's a girl in the castle-"

"Whose name is Evangeline Emrys, and yes, she is a powerful witch with magic to match yours."

Merlin stood in stunned silence.

"You wish to know who she is, why her name is Emrys, and how you two are connected."

It was a statement, not a question. The Dragon seemed to know everything Merlin ever thought.

"Well, yes! Mordred calls me Emrys, one of my 'many names', as you say, then all of a sudden a woman comes from out of nowhere with that name. _And _she has magic? I need answers, please!"

"If I just gave you the answer to every question you asked, you would never learn anything, young warlock."

Merlin started growing agitated. "I know, but-"

"Furthermore, unfortunately I cannot answer all your questions this time."

Merlin faltered.

"You mean, you don't know who she is?"

The Dragon shook his head.

"No, I know who she is, and what happens at the end of this story. But if I tell you, you will try to prevent it, only hurting yourself and everyone involved. For once, Merlin, your feelings are in my best interest because you're emotions cloud your judgment. This, I cannot allow."

He then spread his wings and started ascending to a ledge high up in the cavern.

"Wait! Please, I need to know!"

"If you want answers, you will discover them for yourself! I will have no part in this tragedy!"

And Merlin was left alone.


	4. The Audience

**Author's Note:**

** merlinsapprentice please understand that we're only 3 chapters into the story and I haven't rushed into character development because she's a bit of a complex character. Still, I appreciate your feedback and I tried to be a little more revealing to her actual personality in this chapter and I'll do so in the following ones.:)**

** anonymous thanks for the compliment on my writing, even if you don't like some of the plot. I see where you're coming from and I agree with what you said, but this is just how I wrote the story. I hope you enjoy where it'll lead in the future.**

**If anyone else has any feedback, don't hesitate to give it! I appreciate it all, as long as it's courteous and respectful. And now, chapter four of ****Eve****:**

"I present to you, Miss Evangeline Emrys."

The king rose as she entered the court followed by Gaius.

When Arthur came and told Uther that the strange girl he had saved from the forest the day previous was awake and speaking, the king made sure to call her before him. And there she stood, a most beautiful and intriguing young woman…who supposedly had a broken leg.

Uther gave a questioning look to his son before addressing her. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was informed of your extensive injuries and was under the impression that you were unable to walk."

Evangeline smiled and bowed graciously.

"My Lord, you are correct in that I had sustained many injuries on my journey to your beautiful Camelot, but I assure you a broken leg is hardly enough to fully incapacitate me."

Uther's eyes widened, but he quickly recovered his look of passive calmness. He kept his voice level and authoritative as he asked her to elaborate on her statement.

"I was raised in a small village surrounded by nothing but forest and mountains. Whenever one of us was sick or injured we were on our own. It was not uncommon for bones to be broken but, as we had no physicians, we were left to heal on our own. Being as such, many of us grew more immune to pain. My leg does hurt, but with the skill of your kind physician, Gaius, the pain is less than what I'm used to, enabling me to walk. Besides, my leg was broken while I was in the forest and I traveled a few days with it before I reached your city."

"What village is this? I will send Gaius to it straight away so that he may heal your sick and injured," Uther said, only slightly upset that one of his villages was left to such means of survival.

Evangeline's face flashed with pain; not physical, but emotional.

"As much as I'd appreciate that, my Lord, I'm afraid it is impossible."

Misunderstanding, as was usual with this king, he smiled and spoke to her as if she were a child. "Do not worry, it will not strain Gaius and we can spare a few men to escort you."

She returned his smile, acting every bit the grateful, poor village girl. But she was actually on edge, knowing that this was the key to her freedom; she had to say exactly the right thing or everything would be ruined. Evangeline was a very smart girl, calculating her every move based on her observations; a small smile here, a gracious compliment there, all to ensure her safety. In the back part of her mind, she felt horrible for deceiving those who helped her and for acting so cold towards them, but she needed to make sure she was safe. And she couldn't allow herself to become close with any other person. She didn't want to feel the pain of loss ever again.

She chose her next words very carefully before speaking, realizing that they meant the difference between life and death.

"Oh my faith in your men is great, but that is not why, your Majesty. My reasoning is that I am not native to your kingdom."

Uther immediately went rigid and his face expressionless. She had predicted that would happen, and already knew how she was going to answer his next question:

"I see, and from what kingdom do you hail?"

"Andara."

A collective gasp was heard in the chamber as she spoke the name of the distant, barbaric country. It was about a three-day ride to Andara, though _why_ anyone would want to venture to such a place was unknown. The capital city, Ravensgrim, was closed off from the rest of the kingdom to ensure the king's ultimate protection, and aside from a weak sentry set up in various intervals about the kingdom, it was defenseless. Even so, no one dared to invade it because the king's army was brutal, with skill almost matching Camelot's knights. The king imposed high taxes upon his people to keep his coffers full, and starvation was rampant throughout the kingdom.

"I see," Uther finally said. "I am truly sorry, but I cannot help your people. King Gillian would see that as some sort of challenge and I do not wish a war."

"Nor I, your Majesty, and I would never ask of you anything that threatens your comfort."

"Then why have you come to Camelot?"

Evangeline was prepared to answer, but she faltered, and remembered.

Visions of pain, smoke, and fire flashed before her eyes, and the ungodly screams of men, women, and children rang in her ears. It was so powerful a memory, she could feel herself choking on the thick smoke; taste the wisps of death sneaking down her throat trying to strangle her. She felt the memory of running to the last house on the right, could see the orange death cloaking the once peaceful and cheery structure. Evangeline felt sheer terror reach its icy fingers down her spine and grip her heart, refusing to let go.

Arthur could tell something was wrong. He'd been standing behind his father's throne, observing the whole ordeal. He saw at that moment that her cool, superior demeanor suddenly dropped and that she looked scared. Truly scared. It was only for a second, and he was sure no one else noticed, but he saw absolute fear flash across her face. He was reminded of the terrified, lost young woman who had stumbled out of the woods seeking help. He started to pity her.

And then, all too soon, she collected herself and replaced that cold mask she'd been wearing all day and answered the king with all the grace and respect that was possessed by any women of the court. Yet, even though Arthur could tell it was an act, she allowed sadness to creep into her features as she spoke:

"My Lord, it was not my intention to travel to your kingdom; I left my village because my father, my only family, passed away last month of fever. There was no way for me to care for myself, being as I was unable to work our farm on my own and there was no food to be spared among my neighbors." She looked down and wiped a tear away from her face. "I left hoping to find a home within the capital city, but…but I got lost…and then I was attacked by bandits, and…"

She started crying.

Surprisingly, Uther took pity on her. She seemed so broken and lost, and she reminded him of Morgana after her father died. Because of this, he did something that shocked everyone, even himself later on:

"You may stay here in the castle. You will have a home here."

Her eyes widened in surprise that almost seemed forced to Arthur, but was genuine to everyone else.

"Your Majesty, you are too kind; I am genuinely grateful and surprised. You are a kind and just king, and I look forward to a life in Camelot."

As the court slowly broke into applause, Arthur caught Evangeline's eyes and saw guilt in them before she could hide it. He knew something wasn't right, that she was hiding something.

And he intended to find out what it was.


	5. The Reject

**Author's Note:**

**Two chapters at once again! I might make this a habit, I don't know though…took me a while to write. Anyway, I hope this chapter sheds a little more light on Evangeline's personality for those who think she's just a witch with a capital 'B'. ;)**

**Chapter five of ****Eve****:**

"And these are your chambers," Arthur said as he opened a set of doors to reveal a large, comfortable looking room.

Evangeline stared in awe at her new lodgings, and allowed a real smile to split across her face. She walked into the center of the room and spun around, drinking in the absolute warmth and luxury. From the bed draped in gold and red sheets, to the table already laden with fresh fruit and candles, to the windows that gave a perfect view of the training grounds and the forest beyond the city walls, she already felt at home in her new surroundings. She almost laughed in delight until she caught the look on Arthur's face. He seemed confused.

"What?" she asked defensively.

His eyes quickly narrowed and he scoffed in aggravation. "You know, you completely amaze me. First, you're some afraid girl who walks out of the forest begging for my help, then you're this woman who acts like everyone who has helped her has done some sort of wrong doing to her, then you're this sad village girl who has lost everything, then just now you seemed like the happiest woman alive only to again act like I've done something wrong. Which, last time I checked, I haven't. I just, I don't understand you."

Her voice shook as she replied, "I did not _beg_ for help."

"Okay, you didn't beg, but you asked for it, and I _did _help you. And did I get a 'thank you'? No. Instead, you insulted me and treated me as if I were the dirt beneath your feet."

She stared at him with a blank face.

And then she walked over to him until she was merely inches from his face and looked into his eyes. His breath caught, and he was sure she was holding her breath. The world seemed to melt away until all that was left was her eyes and her voice:

"Thank you."

That was all she said. That was all she needed to say. That was all she was able to say, for at that moment, Merlin came barging into the room.

Arthur's face reddened as he stepped back, turned towards his servant, and asked, "Merlin, where have you been?"

"Uh, I was, um, sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Arthur repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, sleeping. I was up late last night polishing your armor," Merlin invented.

"Well good. And since you've obviously had a great nap, you'll be nice and awake while you tend to Evangeline's needs," Arthur instructed, sarcastically smiling and clapping Merlin's shoulder roughly.

"Of course, sire," Merlin uttered, smiling as best he could while thinking of the many names he would call Arthur later.

"Right then, I'll," Arthur turned to the door then back to Evangeline, "I'll just be going then."

"Goodbye, Arthur."

He looked at her quizzically before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

Merlin and Evangeline then stood in the center of the room staring at each other, both feeling that pull once more. She knew there was something about him, but she couldn't place it. He knew she was a witch, but he wondered what she knew. Yet neither spoke for a few minutes.

Finally, Evangeline couldn't stand the silence. "Who are you?"

Merlin started to give his generic, "I'm Arthur's man servant and Gaius' assistant," answer, but she held up her hand to silence him.

"You know what I mean, Merlin. Who are you to me?"

He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."

Her eyes narrowed and she walked towards the window, frowning. "I know you feel it, this connection between us. I want to know what it is, Merlin. If you have any idea, please feel free to share."

He was surprised at her directness; she didn't play games, she wanted answers and was impatient to receive them. He now knew that she felt the draw that he did, and he knew that it wasn't so much an attraction as it was a familiarity; he felt like he knew her. He knew she was a witch, and that her powers were great, but he didn't know if he wanted her to find out that he had magic.

So, he began crafting a lie, "Maybe we've met before. I used to live in a village not far from the Andara border, and-"

"You're lying."

She turned around and looked at him with the most intense eyes he'd ever seen. It was almost as if she could see right through him and know his every thought, his every secret. He felt energy in the air, like there was a pulse radiating from her and spreading throughout the room.

"I know you have magic," he whispered without stopping to think of what he was saying.

The energy fizzled out and she looked genuinely scared for a moment before releasing a very silky laugh. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Why would you say such a thing," she asked with a warning in the subtext that Merlin easily picked up on.

He figured the best way to gain her trust was to prove to her that she wasn't alone, so he held out his hand and produced a small ball of light. She stared at it, marveling at its beauty and innocence until he let it go out. When he did, he met her eyes and nodded, signaling that it was her turn.

She closed her eyes, held her hands together, and spoke the words to a spell Merlin had never heard of. She opened her eyes and he saw the amber flash that meant magic was being done then unclasped her hands. A small white bird fluttered out and flew around the room, singing a sweet song.

Merlin laughed and looked at Evangeline to see that she was grinning with excitement.

"You're going to have to teach me that one," he told her, walking over to open the window and let the bird fly out.

They watched it as it took off to the trees, singing all the way.

"I've never met another of my kind, Merlin, this is truly the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me," she said, not taking her eyes off her bird until it was impossible to see. "And to meet someone as powerful as you…"

He turned to her and asked, "What makes you think I'm that powerful?"

She shrugged and simply said, "I can feel it."

He waited, but when he realized she was done talking, inquired, "Care to elaborate?"

"No," she laughed.

He could tell she was joking with him, and he was utterly amazed; she was a completely different person than the woman he met that morning. It was almost unreal, and he didn't want that moment to end because he could feel a friendship forming between the two of them that he knew was extremely valuable. But, he had to ask it:

"Why were you so mean this morning?"

She stopped laughing and a look of sorrow and guilt showed on her face before she turned away and started walking towards the bed. Well, now that Merlin was really looking, he could see that she was actually limping all the way.

"I do apologize, but I was worried about my safety. I didn't know where I was, and if you'd been in my hearing with the king you'd know that I've had a bit of a trying year so I was trying to be cautious."

She reached the bed and almost fell upon it. Merlin ran over to help her, but she brushed his hand aside, offending and hurting him.

"What did I do?" he asked.

Evangeline sighed and looked at the ceiling, not wanting to meet Merlin's eyes.

"Merlin, you have to understand that I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to start a new life and forget about the one I left behind. Now don't worry, I can't very well tell anyone about your secret without risking you telling everyone mine so you're safe. But we can't be friends. I don't have any friends, and I'd like to keep it that way. Now, if you don't mind, I wish to be alone for a while. You're dismissed."

And just like that, the cold woman was back, treating Merlin as if he was _just _a servant boy, and not the "powerful", amazing person she just told him he was. He couldn't do anything but bow and leave as fast as possible; his heart hurt so much he didn't want to be in the same room as her. He'd just been rejected by one of his own. For years he'd suffered in the shadows as King Uther actively sought to destroy and reject his kind, but he never thought the day would come when another person of magic would turn him away in such a manner.

He stalked back to his room to tell Gaius everything, and never heard the soft sobs that were shed in the room he'd just stormed out of. He didn't know how hard she tried to fight the tears that were disobeying her and falling anyway, didn't know how she tried to muffle the sounds into her pillow as she curled up into a ball on the bed as best she could with a broken leg. He didn't know that the spell which had enabled her to walk on that leg had broken and that she was in immense pain. Merlin didn't know how sorry she was for lying to him and Gaius and Guinevere and Arthur…especially Arthur. But most of all, he didn't know how much her heart ached with longing and guilt. So much guilt…

_So much guilt. _


	6. The Cry

**Author's Note:  
Yeah…this update is SUPER late, I know, and I apologize but I've been really busy. Thank you to everyone who has been following the story and reviewing it, I really appreciate you guys. Well, here's the long awaited chapter six of ****Eve****:**

_She ran as fast as she could, her heart racing and blood plumping._

_She tried to avoid all the other people in the midst of the chaos, everyone looking to survive. The heat of the flames came with a warning that encircled her with fear: they would kill her without a second thought if she came too close. Men, women, and children had already fallen at the hands of the dancing flames, and some part of her knew that she herself was close to the same fate._

_But none of that was important. She needed to reach the last house on the right._

_The one already engulfed in flames._

_She didn't stop to think as she burst through the door, but that same part of her mind that knew she was in danger also knew that she was too late._

_The little ones were lost, they had already moved on. She saw them silhouetted in the orange light lying in their bed, resting in a deep sleep that they would never awaken from. She didn't have time to mourn, however, for as she took a step back towards the door something grab her hand._

_She turned to stare into the pain filled face of-_

Her eyes opened, tears wetting her pillow.

No more screaming; she had come to expect the dreams and they no longer scared her so much as they morbidly depressed her.

Every night she was haunted by the memory of that day, slowly retracing the steps that led her to the moment. The moment that would follow her for the rest of her life, eating away at whatever happiness she found and whatever sanity was left. The dreams were so vivid every night she was sure she was transferred back to relive each moment as punishment for what she did.

After all, it was all her fault.

She was lying on her side staring at the wall with tears free falling when Gwen came into the room with breakfast. Evangeline had requested that she be looked after by Guinevere the day after her audience with Uther, greatly surprising and pleasing Gwen. She was still Morgana's servant, but she was glad that Evangeline had grown to trust her, at least a little.

After learning of Evangeline's trials-or what Evangeline told were her trials-she felt that she could relate in some ways. Her own father died and she was left alone with no family, but unlike Evangeline, Gwen had friends she could turn to and a steady living. Evangeline had neither, and for that, Guinevere pitied her. Sure she seemed like a very strong young woman who was sure of herself, but Gwen was almost positive it was all an act. She thought that Evangeline put up a wall of negativity to keep people out and to protect herself.

"Still unable to sleep," Gwen asked as she set bread and fruit on the table. Every day for the past week she came in to see Evangeline crying. Though it was still better than the first few nights when Evangeline would wake up screaming; Gwen never even left the castle those nights. She would stay in the rooms next to Evangeline, prepared to run in and comfort her whenever she screamed.

"Having sleep is not the issue; sleep itself is the monster," Evangeline muttered, sitting up and wiping the tears off her face.

"What do you mean?" Gwen asked impulsively. She was used to being more lax in her professional character when she assisted Morgana because they were friends and she sometimes forgot Evangeline didn't like that.

Apparently, no matter how hard Gwen tried, Evangeline didn't want friends.

Before Gwen could apologize, Evangeline bristled and dismissed her. "That will be all, Gwen. And I can dress myself."

Frustrated and angry at herself, Gwen bowed and exited the room, turning to shut the door behind her. She rested her head on the door for a moment, collecting her thoughts.

She wanted to help Evangeline, and she felt like she understood Evangeline, but sometimes it really was hard because she didn't know how to act. Sometimes Evangeline would be very pleasant and they would have some small talk about the weather or people in the castle or Camelot in general. But other times she would revert to the hurt young woman who lashed out at anyone who tried to get close to her.

Gwen turned to leave and almost ran straight into Merlin.

"Oh, Merlin, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"No, you're fine. So how is she?"

Gwen lowered her voice to barely above a whisper. "She woke up crying again; she said that she has no problem sleeping, she just doesn't want to."

Merlin took that in and a confused look spread across his face. "Huh…well Gaius wants to talk to her so could you pass that message on?"

Gwen glanced at the door and grimaced. "You'll have to either wait a while or tell her yourself; she dismissed me and has made it clear that she doesn't want me to bother her again."

Merlin shook his head in disgust. "I don't understand how someone could be so cold to people who are trying to care for them."

She gave a small smile. "She's been through a lot, Merlin. I think that after losing her father, having to leave home, and being attacked when she was already vulnerable, she's lost faith and trust in people."

"But she's pushing us away and all we're trying to do is befriend her."

Gwen looked down and then straight into his eyes and said, "Maybe she doesn't want to get close to anyone because she's afraid of losing someone else."

She paused to let that sink in and then spoke in her normal volume. "I've got to go. Will you tell her Gaius wishes to see her?"

Merlin sighed and consented. Gwen left and he stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and stuck his head in the room.

He was about to call to her when he saw her sitting at the table with her head in her arms. Her shoulders were shaking and he could hear a soft, heartbreaking noise fill the room which, even with the sun shining into, seemed dark and miserable. It was as if her emotions were personified in the atmosphere, leaving a stain of depression in every particle of the air.

She was sobbing softly, still unaware of his presence, and he felt slightly ashamed for walking in on the moment. He needed to tell her Gaius wanted to talk to her, but he didn't want her to know that he had seen her crying. He knew she wouldn't appreciate that, so he quietly closed the door, waited a moment, and then knocked.

"Who is it?" replied a soft voice from within.

"It's Merlin, I have a message for you," he answered.

Not even a minute had passed before she opened the door, her face showing no signs of tears and the room reverted back to its comfortable atmosphere. She was still in her bed clothes, but she seemed like a perfectly fine young woman, and not a heartbroken one who was just sobbing in a room all alone.

"Well? What is it?" she asked impatiently.

It took every ounce of power for him to not retort anything that could get him into trouble. He forced a smile on his face and said, "Gaius would like to see you when you are done dressing."

She seemed slightly surprised and, to Merlin's astonishment, almost a little pleased.

"Yes, of course. Tell Gaius I will be down to see him soon. Thank you, Merlin."

With that, she closed the door and left Merlin with a look of confusion on his face that was quickly wiped away when he heard his name being called angrily from somewhere nearby. He closed his eyes and groaned in annoyance as he ran to find Arthur and see what he'd done this time.

The prince was standing in the middle of his room with his arms crossed when Merlin entered.

"Merlin, where have you been?"

"I was running errands for Gaius, why? Did you forget how to put your armor on or something and need my help?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed and he replied, "You really are the most disrespectful servant I've ever had, please know that."

Merlin shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "And no matter what, you can't seem get rid of me. So what do you need, I have to hurry back to Gaius to pass on a message."

Arthur opened his mouth to give a sarcastic response, but then opted to just let Merlin's comment about not being able to sack him slide and skipped to telling Merlin what was happening. "My father has decided to have a feast tonight in Evangeline's honor. It seems he has found her well enough to celebrate and wants to introduce her to the people of Camelot as a woman of the court who will be staying here in the castle for as long as she likes."

The news completely shocked Merlin to the point where he stood there with his mouth open and eyes wide.

"Compose yourself, Merlin; you look like a fish out of water."

"Arthur, why is your dad being so nice to her? I mean, no offense, but I've never seen him be this compassionate about anyone. I know she has a sad story to tell, but-"

"I know, I know, it's completely out of the ordinary and my father wouldn't do something like this for anyone but he's decided to do it for her."

A thought suddenly hit Merlin and he smiled slightly. "Did you have anything to do with it?"

Arthur blanched and turned to walk towards the table. "What are you going on about?"

"You had something to do with your father inviting her to live here, didn't you?"

Arthur sat at the table and picked an apple from the fruit bowl. "Why would I do that, Merlin? Need I remind you of the fact that she speaks to me as if I were of lower social standing than you?"

"You know, for someone who is totally innocent, you are doing very well at avoiding the question."

Arthur stood up as anger, more from embarrassment than Merlin's comment, and said, "Once you are done with whatever you're doing for Gaius, I need you to wash my dress clothes and polish my sword, understand."

"I completely understand, sire, you want to look nice and impress Evangeline," Merlin laughed as he started leaving the room.

He then yelled "Ow!" as an apple hit the center of his back before he could close the door.


End file.
